Page 41 of Weston’s Treasure

Weston agreed, it was. The small downtown area, as the locals called it, even though it was really only one main road and a side street, looked like a movie set. Old brick-paved sidewalks and the storefronts looked like they hadn’t been renovated since they were built in the eighteen-hundreds. Mature trees lined Fountain Park. A brick courthouse with an ornate cast-iron fence surrounding its well-kept lawn. An old firehouse in the middle of the block had even been converted into a hair salon with apartments above. And at the end of the street was a dock and to the right of that a small marina.

“When we’re done, I’ll take you for a tour. We’ll walk down to the water and grab some dinner.”

“I’d like that.”

And the way Silver said it he knew she would. Her response was breathy with a hint of excitement. Maybe he wasn’t as far away from earning her trust as he’d thought.

Weston opened the door and offered for her to precede him up the stairs.

“These are steep,” she noted.

“Yeah, they are. It was a bitch getting all the office furniture up here. Nixon found a bigger space and was thinking about buying it and moving offices but then he remembered we’d have to lug everything back out and now he’s dragging his feet.”

“I don’t blame him. Though maybe it’d be worth it not having to climb these every day.”

Weston had to agree with that, too. He was in good shape, worked out every day but he could admit he was over climbing the stairs every day.

They walked into the reception area, which was really a large room with nothing in it but two wingback chairs by the three large windows overlooking the park and a small table between them. Other than that the space was empty, and so it was the perfect place for two German Shepherd puppies to tear around. So they’d walked into the room and the moment they had, they’d been accosted.

“Oh my God. How cute are these two?” Silver dropped to her knees and was rewarded with licks to her face and jaw.

“Killer! Down,” Jameson demanded.

“Stop calling him that,” McKenna scolded. “You know you’re confusing him.”

Jameson and Kennedy’s dog’s name was not Killer, it was Tank. And it drove Kennedy batshit crazy when Jameson called the puppy Killer. Which was precisely why Jameson did it.

“Axel! Settle,” Nix commanded, and much to Weston’s surprise the puppy halted for a second, looking at his owner before he went back to attacking Silver.

There were more puppy scratches behind the ears, more cuddles as she picked up Tank first and gave him a squeeze, then she moved to Axel and did the same.

“How old are they?” Silver asked, still on her knees.

“Fourteen weeks,” Micky answered, then went on. “I totally got suckered. Jameson and Kennedy brought Tank in and I fell in love. It’s like when you see a friend with their newborn baby and you think to yourself you want one because they’re so cute and tiny, but you don’t think about all the crying, sleepless nights, and diapers. That’s Axel. A cute little furball with the crying, sleepless nights, and potty breaks.”

“I could see how it would happen. They’re both crazy-cute,” Silver returned and smiled. “I’m Silver by the way.”

“McKenna.”

The two women smiled at each other and something settled over Weston. He’d been a little nervous about the two meeting. Micky had been in the office when Silver had come in to hand him shit. And even though McKenna was Nix’s woman, she was close to all of them. Loyal, protective, like a little sister to the whole team. And Silver had made a great first impression by bitching Weston out.

He was realizing he shouldn’t have been worried. Pure McKenna. Open, friendly, welcoming.

“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about your mad computer skills,” Silver told Micky and stood.

“Weston exaggerates.” Micky shook her head. “Did you get everything you needed? Weston said he was taking you shopping.”

“Pretty much.”

“Well, Kennedy and I are making a Target run later. We’re also hitting the mall. We’d love it if you went with us.”

Silver turned to look at Weston and warmth hit his chest, bounced around, then settled. He didn’t need her to ask his permission to go out with the girls, and that’s not what she was doing. Silver knew she was in danger. Knew he’d promised to keep her safe. And she was looking to him for direction, because she trusted him to keep his promise.

Fuck, yeah.

“Not a good idea,” Nixon said before Weston could.

And as much as it made him a pussy, he was happy his friend was going to be the one to explain why Silver couldn’t go. And when Micky’s smile fell and Silver’s shoulders hunched forward, Weston was more than pleased it hadn’t been him who had derailed their plans.